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Mykhailo Podolyak initially announced that Ukraine would halt the operation of the Friendship oil pipeline starting January 1 next year, which would cut off a significant supply of Russian oil. However, he later retracted his statement, clarifying that Ukraine would honor its contractual obligations for oil transit until the end of 2029. The confusion arose from mixing up the expiry dates of the oil and gas transit contracts, with the gas contract expiring in January 2025.

Hungary’s reliance on Russian oil has created a precarious situation.

As Hungary Today earlier reported, the country, alongside Slovakia, challenged Ukraine’s oil sanctions at the EU level, expressing significant concerns over the potential blockade. Hungary’s current infrastructure lacks the capacity to replace Russian oil. The alternative pipeline from Croatia cannot fully meet Hungary’s needs or those of Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

In a recent interview, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó emphasized the severity of the situation, stating,

Hungary will not be able to meet its fuel needs without oil from Russia.”

He also highlighted, “if Russian oil supplies cease, Hungary will be completely deprived of oil,” and described the situation as “a very serious challenge for us.” Despite these challenges, Mr. Szijjártó mentioned that negotiations with Russian suppliers and Ukrainian transit companies are ongoing, aiming to secure a long-term solution. However, as of now, “the contracts have not been signed yet,” indicating that Hungary is still working towards a resolution.

The oil supply remains vulnerable due to its heavy reliance on Russian oil and the lack of alternative infrastructure. While the situation is being actively managed through diplomatic negotiations, a concrete long-term solution has yet to be finalized.

Original article: Hungary Today